While You Wait

"God is never late. He's always on time." It's a comforting mantra that we pass along to one another in church or in Starbucks. We encourage ourselves to patiently wait while he gets all the right ducks in a row so he can present his plan to us. We forget that we're one of the ducks.

"God is never late. He's always on time." It's a comforting mantra that we pass along to one another in church or in Starbucks. We encourage ourselves to patiently wait while he gets all the right ducks in a row so he can present his plan to us. We forget that we're one of the ducks.

When we convince ourselves all we have to do is patiently wait, we're saying that we're ready for what we want. The delay must be because God is just  fixing/arranging/dealing with other people or details . It's the spiritual equivalent of the old breakup line, "It's not you, it's me." We tell our friends or accountability partners or ourselves, "don't worry–it's not you, it's [filling in the blank]." "Don't worry that you're not married yet. God's just getting your future husband ready." "Don't worry that you haven't gotten a job yet. I bet somebody else is in that position but about to leave." The trouble is that viewing it this way can impede what God is doing in our lives because we hit the pause button in our own lives. We don't see ourselves as actively preparing, but just passively waiting for everything else to get fixed.

Sometimes, God delays what we want to do something in us (not just other people or circumstances). This is NOT to say that it's your fault and that if you just had your act together, he'd deliver his perfect plan. Rather, his perfect plan includes delays, and the growth we experience while waiting. Yes, he may be preparing your future husband, or future boss, or future mission field. But  he's also preparing you. Behind the scenes, he's arranging details and coordinating divine timing, but he's also arranging your spiritual growth and coordinating your conformity to Christ.

So during the wait, wait patiently–but don't just wait. Being still and knowing he is God is not the same as spiritually standing still. Seek him, not just what he's bringing in your future. Grow, be refined, learn about yourself and God. Follow him in the journey of waiting, because you are already in the midst of his plan.